


You and I Weren’t Forever, And It’s Fine

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M, implied/past relationship - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:42:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21909889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: The world was ending. Literally, right now. Batman was surprised he didn’t have to watch it all crash down alone.
Relationships: Damian Wayne/Colin Wilkes
Comments: 2
Kudos: 91





	You and I Weren’t Forever, And It’s Fine

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by ‘If The World Was Ending’ by JP Saxe and Julia Michaels. Obviously adult Damian and Colin. Get ready for vague sads and everyone dying haha. While I seem to imply their relationship ended badly, it didn’t? In my head they just slowly stopped talking to each other, and both felt really guilty about that. (Title is my misheard lyrics of the song because apparently that’s not actually it haha)

It was the end of the world.

And even after everything, it turned out not to be anyone’s fault. No aliens, or villain’s plan or other dimension shenanigan.

It was just…nature. Earth’s time. A poorly placed and sized meteor phenomenon.

Doesn’t mean it wasn’t an apocalyptic finale, though.

The shower was so big and so strong, it knocked Earth _just_ so out of orbit. Tilted the axis a few miles, or feet or even centimeters. No one would ever know. No one would survive to find out.

The tides changed. Cities were flooded. Earthquakes led to tsunamis led to volcano eruptions.

It all appeared so quickly. But Earth’s death actually took months. Almost a full year.

And it was torturous. No superhero, armed force or prayer could make a difference, and, just like the citizens they were trying to save, they slowly died. Painfully, agonizingly, slowly.

And Batman watched it all. Did his best, but in the end, watched his family, city, and whole life die in front of him. From building collapses, holes opening in the ground, water, lava, diseases springing up, poisoned air. Think of the worst thing you can, and it probably happened at least twice in those last days.

How he survived this long, he doesn’t know. Some demon watching over him perhaps. Laughing as he survived every new plague, every natural disaster starting over again.

Until he was the only one left.

So he stood atop the remnants of Wayne Tower, still the tallest building in Gotham City, watching as streets and buildings collapsed into this newest, ever-growing sinkhole. Watching like a captain, going down with his ship.

There was no one and nothing left. No hope. He’d be swallowed with Gotham and this whole mess would finally be over. The Earth would be done, and start its centuries long journey into becoming space dust.

He was almost excited.

He pulled his cowl back as he heard the crash of another building, watched the fires of another meteor hitting already ravaged land miles away. Took a deep inhale of dirty oxygen, and prepared to watch the end of the world while waiting to die.

He was the only one left.

Or, at least, he thought so.

There was a crash behind him, and he paid it no mind. Not until he heard, “Damian?”

He whirled around. The crash hadn’t been the building falling deeper into destruction, it had been the opening of a door, slamming into a shattered wall.

It was a door being opened by a man covered in as many scars as he still had freckles, with long red hair blowing in flame-induced wind.

Damian’s heart stuttered in disbelief, and his mouth gaped.

_“Colin?!”_

Colin grinned, moving forward. He limped, and through ripped jeans Damian could see an infected wound. “Long time no see, buddy.”

“Everyone’s dead.” Damian breathed. “I…I _thought_ everyone was dead…”

“They are.” Colin laughed. “Frankly, I thought _I_ was the last one left. Until I saw that all too familiar silhouette up here…”

When Colin reached him, he didn’t wait. Just threw his arms as tightly around Damian’s neck as he could. And Damian did the same.

“How long has it really been?” Colin’s voice was muffled against his throat.

“Fifteen years at least.” Damian returned. When they parted, Damian kept fierce hold of Colin’s hands. “Not since two years after we…”

“Harder to be friends with your ex than we thought, huh?” Colin was still smiling. “I…I wanted you to be at my wedding. So did Cynthia. Really. But I just…didn’t think I deserved to be in your presence. Not after everything.”

“I understand. I wanted to text you congratulations when I saw the engagement announcement but I…” Damian trailed off, glanced down at their hands. “She was beautiful. I’m sorry for your loss.” Another pause to squeeze Colin’s hands. “For her loss, and your daughter’s.”

“Don’t be. I lucked out, in a way. They never had to see any of this. Cynthia died of cancer seven years ago, and Abbie was killed by a drunk driver.” Colin waved it off, but his smile dimmed anyway. “You, though…”

Damian closed his eyes.

“I…was watching, when it happened. On the news.” Colin whispered. “You and Superman…the new Superman…you guys were a thing, right?”

“His name was Jonathan.” Damian returned just as quietly. “He never actually proposed, but when the meteors hit, he said he was going to marry me at the end of the world.” Damian sighed. “A hero to the end, trying to save that town in Washington. But I guess even half-Kryptonians aren’t stronger than getting pinned by half of a suspension bridge and slowly eaten by lava.”

Now it was Colin’s turn to squeeze Damian’s hands. “I’m so sorry.”

Damian shook his head, and opened his eyes with a smile. “I’m glad I got to see you one more time before the end, though.”

Colin’s face lit back up. “Me too.”

“…I want to say I’m sorry that we didn’t work out, but-”

“But I’m not.” Colin finished for him. “I found Cynthia, and you found Jonathan. We found better love after each other.”

“…Right.” Damian laughed. “I never forgot you, though.”

“Never stopped loving you either.” Colin agreed. “Thanks for making me a better person.”

“You as well.” Damian nodded. A few more crashes echoed nearby, and Damian looked across the landscape. Buildings were collapsing into the sinkhole at a faster rate, and more fire was spreading. The smoke, mixing with the toxic air, was making it hard to see. “Colin, you should go find shelter and-”

“And do what? _Really_ be the last person on a dying planet?” Colin asked, tilting his head to get back into Damian’s line of sight. “It’s the end, man. And there’s no one else I’d rather watch it with than you.”

Damian looked back at him, stared for a few seconds. The flames were highlighting his freckles, brightening the shade of his hair. Colin just kept smiling at him.

Silently, Damian let go of his hands, only to hold his face. Let his fingers twist in the long red strands of Colin’s hair as his stroked his thumbs along his cheekbones. Then leaned up to plant a kiss on Colin’s forehead.

The building rumbled as the hole got closer.

Colin just chuckled. Turned his head to give Damian a quick peck to his cheek as well, then enveloped him in his arms. Held the Batman as the buildings around them shattered and collapsed.

Closed his eyes as Damian returned the tight embrace.

Then they fell.

And everything was over.


End file.
